The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville will officially open Friday when Mayor John Delaney’s All-Stars take on a team of media players in an exhibition softball game. The $34 million park is one of four vertical projects within the $2.2 billion Better Jacksonville Plan. It’s also the first to be completed, taking just over 15 months. After taking a tour of the nearly-finished park Monday afternoon, the Daily Record offers a guide to the new park, how to get there (there’s a lot of construction in the area) and what fans can expect.
HOW TO GET THERE
The new park is about a quarter-mile southwest of Wolfson Park directly between the Coliseum and the new arena. For Friday’s game, you can take Bay Street to A. Philip Randolph and park in the Coliseum/Alltel Stadium lot. Or, you can take Adams Street to JTA’s trolley lot. For the Suns opener on April, the Alltel lot will be full with Jazz Fest patrons, so park in the trolley lot and lots T,U and V.
WHAT IS IT?
The new park is home to the Jacksonville Suns, the Southern League’s Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Per Mayor John Delaney’s direction, the park’s facade is mostly brick and resembles a smaller version of Camden Yards, home to the Baltimore Orioles of major league baseball.
WHO OWNS IT?
The City of Jacksonville owns the park and leases it to the Jacksonville Suns, which are owned by the Bragan family. SMG manages the facility and controls everything from parking to what else goes on in the park.
SPECIFICS
The park’s capacity is 10,000. There are 140 dugout seats, 1,300 club seats, 12 luxury suites with 20 seats apiece, four party decks and berm seating in left field.
TICKETS
There are eight ticket windows for walk-up fans and, of course, season tickets are available. General admission is $5.50; reserved box seats are $7.50; home plate box seats are $10.50 and dugout box seats are $15.50. For more on the team, tickets, promotions and the schedule, check out the Suns’ web site at www.jaxsuns.com.
DIMENSIONS
The asymmetrical park measures 321 feet down the left field line; 382 in left center; 420 to straight-away center; 375 in the right field power alley and 317 down the right field line.
WHAT’S LEFT TO DO
Before the Suns and paying customers show up on April 11, project manager Dave Schneider says he has a 60- to 70-page punch list with about 3,000 items. The list covers everything from final cleanings to sealing concrete decks. A lot of it, and Schneider says that punch list is good for a project this size, should be done by this Friday.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON THIS WEEKEND?
In addition to the game Friday — which is free, as is parking — fans can take tours of the park, the concession stands will be open (free popcorn) and there will be activities for the kids and entertainment until 8 p.m. The official “Come back to the ball park” is the next day from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Lots of the same stuff for those who couldn’t get out of work Friday afternoon. Sorry, the Suns will be out of town, so you can’t meet the players.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT?
From Wolfson Park, which was built in the late 1950s? How about everything? More concession stands, more ticket windows, better seats, cup holders on most seats, a better sound system, luxury boxes, better lighting, bigger (and much cleaner) locker rooms for the Suns and visiting teams, two indoor batting cages and pitching mounds, a bigger press box, party decks. Everything. Yes, ticket prices are higher. But, what do expect with a brand new park?
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN THE AREA?
Lots. The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the middle of about $40 million worth of renovations to Alltel Stadium. Work on the new $130 million arena is progressing at a good clip and the venue is scheduled to be done late this year. Proprietor Mark Jackson is working on his Amsterdam Cafe, a sports bar that is directly between the ball park and arena. If you are headed down there this weekend, set aside some extra time and look around. If you haven’t been down there in a while, you’ll be surprised — and impressed.
— by Mike Sharkey